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Low coolant light/03 Grand Am

Tiny
UGLYGRANDAM
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
2003 GRAND AM. Low coolant came on when driving, engine not overheating. No visible puddles underneath. Added 3/4 of a 4L jug, coolant kept disappearing. Checked underneath the car and could not see anything leaking out. Added radiator leak guard with the pellets, then added the rest of the 1/4 of coolant and cut that with water. Started my car up and drove 1km and the low coolant light came back on and the rest of the coolant has disppeared. Any ideas?

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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 7:40 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
So are you getting any steam and a sweet smell out your tail pipe?If you can't see visual leak outside in the engine compartment there really are only a few possibility's. Heater core but that would be flooding the inside of you car with the amount of coolant your adding. Or a blown head gasket etc.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 7:59 PM
Tiny
UGLYGRANDAM
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
HARD TO TELL IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE. HAVENT SEEN ANY STEAM THOUGH. I HAD A MISFIRE LAST WEEK AND IT ENDED UP BEING MY (FORGIVE ME IM NOT FAMILIAR WITH CARS) 3RD CYCLINDER MISFIRING BECAUSE BOLTS THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO HOLD IT DOWN WERENT PROPERLY FASTENED SO THEY WERE STRIPPED AND HE REPLACED THE WIRES BUT I KNO HE HAD EVERYTHING TAKEN APART. I did smell something inside my car after I had added the coolant, a faint smell that disappeared.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 8:30 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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  • 30,869 POSTS
Was it a sweet smell?Also check your carpeting up front see if it's wet.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:02 PM
Tiny
UGLYGRANDAM
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
IT WASN'T FOUL. I'D SAY IT WAS A BIT SWEETER THAN MOST CAR SMELLS. ALSO I HAD MY THERMOSTAT CHANGED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ALSO
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:22 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Well sweet smell is coolant the smell could have come in thru your vent's or there could be coolant inside the car. As fast as you having to add coolant it should be pretty easy to see that leak.
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:26 PM
Tiny
UGLYGRANDAM
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
OK def couldn't see it pouring out that fast. I went through 4L and have no clue where it went. I even added to radiator leak guard stuff. Any ideas on the severity?
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Friday, March 4th, 2011 AT 9:51 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Since I don't know where it's leaking I couldn't tell you.I would get a coolant pressure tester and pressurize the cooling syem and look for a leak and the pressure gauge on the tester dropping to indicate there is a leak somewhere.
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 3:20 AM
Tiny
UGLYGRANDAM
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
OK So now I would appreciate your expertise judgement. My mechanic who is my neighbour and legit said that the coolant and oil have mixed in my engine and he also mentioned something about a gasket. He said it is not worth him fixing because he doesn't the extent of the damage>. He is willing to either
A: replace the motor and put in a used one with 130,000km.(My current car has 215,000k) for $250
orrr
B: he will give me all my money back that I paid for the car when I bought it off of hiim plus the cost of the tires I put on it

Im worried that if I put in a new motor something else may come up because with this car in the past 5months it's been endless and always something
though if I take option B, it could happen to my next car though I clean my slate and can look for a more reliable car
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 9:14 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
That's a pretty low mileage engine for 250 to put it in. You are right though if you replace the engine you still have to worry about the transmission etc having problem's. But if you get your money back you could look for another car and have a clean slate. But on the flip side of that you could get another car with a lot of problem's. With this car you kinda know what you have into have fixed etc. So what problem's and thing's have you fixed since you owned it for 5 month's?
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Sunday, March 6th, 2011 AT 12:44 AM

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